Moving to Seattle in 3-4 weeks (Bellevue, Redmond: best city, apartments, rentals)

[Serabit]

Hi,

I have read some of the related threads in this forum and I'm still a bit confused as to what neighborhoods would work best for my family so I'm hoping some of you might be able to spare some personalized suggestions, additional advice.

I will be moving within the next 3-4 weeks with my fiance and our two year old daughter. We'll be looking for a 4 bedroom home in a kid-friendly neighborhood with a budget of $2500/month max. (Ideally, I'd like to stay around $2000).

A good preschool is definitely a big priority for us. We were about to get our daughter started in one of the best private preschools in our current town. They charge about $800/month for 5 full days each week. I have no idea of how this would compare with preschools in Seattle so information on this would be greatly appreciated.

Another important factor would be the commute from the house to Amazon's campus in downtown Seattle. My current commute to work is 10-15 mins driving with light traffic. I have heard that Seattle's public transportation is more reliable and would love to take advantage of that if possible. Overall, I'd hope to keep my total commute time under 40 mins each way. (although I'm willing to make sacrifices for the right location)

Other than that, we would like to live as close to nature as possible. Either a home close to the water or close to parks/hiking trails would be ideal.

Some of the locations I've seen recommended here included the area of Issaquah but it seemed that the commute to Amazon from there would be over an hour???.

Any additional info would be great. Thanks in advance!

[Hemlock140]

I know many people with kids in day care, the least is paying $1,200, through a church, the highest is paying $2,000/month. Others are in between, but seem to be mostly around $1,500. The better ones have long waiting lists, in fact most people get on the list before the baby is born.

There are several people on my bus commuting from Sammamish, through Issaquah to Amazon, leaving at 6:06am and arriving at Westlake at 6:40. Those that walk the rest of the way take another 15 minutes for a total of just under 40 minutes, others take an Amazon shuttle. The Issaquah commute would be 10 minutes shorter. You can find 4 bedrooms for $2,500-$3,000 in Issaquah, Sammamish, Redmond or parts of Bellevue. I would suggest Klahanie in Issaquah as very family friendly, though not many houses for rent. You could drive 3 minutes to the Issaquah Highlands park & ride and take the 218 bus to Seattle.

[mkarch]

The lower parts of Ballard have a 20-25 minute bus commute to Amazon. From where I'm at it's probably 35. You can find decent but modest single family houses for rent around ballard/fremont/phinney for $2K/mo - they'll be older and more likely a 2/1 or 3/1. You can also find modern townhomes in that range. A $2000 4 bedroom SFH is going to be a shack unless you go significantly further north.

If you're looking for daycare, I can assume you both work. Living on the eastside is possible but unless you really get extra benefit from being there it's not the most convenient arrangement for someone working in SLU. Friends making that commute typically spend 2 hours a day moving between home and work. The houses out there are newer and bigger for the money, but is it worth it if you lose an hour per day?

[Serabit]

Thanks for the info. I have looked at some of the rentals available in Ballard (searched on Craigslist) and I did not see many homes available.

Should I be searching somewhere other than on Craigslist? Perhaps most homes are rented through real state companies?

[datbird]

I dunno about Seattle proper but I have twins that attend the Goddard school for $1,900-ish (for both children) a month here in Redmond.

[mkarch]

Originally Posted by Serabit

Thanks for the info. I have looked at some of the rentals available in Ballard (searched on Craigslist) and I did not see many homes available.

Should I be searching somewhere other than on Craigslist? Perhaps most homes are rented through real state companies?

Because rental inventory is tight at the moment, LL's and property managers don't have to do much advertising. They can just stick a sign out in front or use word of mouth. There are a large # of apartments coming on the market later this year so the situation should improve, but now isn't a great time to be looking for homes - renting or buying.

Not sure on the agent listings. They certainly exist here, but they've never been a big thing the way they are in other areas.

[Know Nonsense]

Not to sound negative and I don't know what your expectations are but why would you choose to move to a quagmire such as Seattle?Apparently it is for your corporate job.I have lived there and all I can say is never again.

[Serabit]

@Know Nonsense:

I'm not expecting Seattle to be the best city I've ever lived in but I'm seeing this opportunity as an investment. I feel it will open many doors for me in the future and I'm willing to pay a price for that. I'm also not afraid of moving out of Seattle whenever I feel it is necessary.

Thanks for the comment though.